The Joy of Happiness

What is happiness? Happiness tends to have a different meaning in different eyes; to me, it is a state of being content with ourselves, and the world around us. People strive to be happy in life, and that is what tends to help us get through the day. If I am having a bad day, I do, or think of something happy to get me out of that gloomy mood and brighten up. I believe people find their true state of happiness on their own, and it is something that matures with them over time. Happiness has a different and also unique meaning to everyone; I believe to get to the state of happiness, we need to keep ourselves healthy both physically and mentally, aim to be successful in our day to day activities, and surround ourselves with positive and loving people.

I believe that health and happiness go hand in hand. Exercising is a good way to relieve stress, and get your mind off of things that may be bringing you down. When I’m having a rough day, I usually go to the gym to work out in order to better my overall health; you cannot always control your mood, but you can control the activities you partake in. Exercising releases endorphins in your “brain that act as pain killers and mood elevators” (Stradamus). Serotonin and adrenalin are other brain chemicals that can contribute to the feeling of happiness. By releasing these natural chemicals in your brain, you can improve your mood in the most natural way. You will feel good about yourself as well as your appearance.

Success brings happiness to everyone; it is great to set personal goals because once achieved, a sense of happiness is sure to follow. As a college student, I am easily stressed and tired; however, it always makes me happy thinking about the great things my future entails. Having a degree will undoubtedly improve my chances of getting a great job that I’m happy with, and of course, pays well. It will also open up many doors in the career path that I choose. Attaining a college degree has been a goal of mine since I was a child; I will feel a great stage of accomplishment and happiness when I finally reach it. People don’t aim to fail in life; it is almost natural to shoot to succeed in almost everything we do.

I can always count on my family and friends to be there for me when my day is not going the way I would like. I typically call my mom, or one of my friends, to relieve my frustration about a situation or problem I am having. I moved down to San Diego to attend college, and start a new chapter in my life. At the time, I wanted to get as far away from my strict parents as possible. It was definitely a good decision because I was always unhappy following their rules, and not living my life the way I saw fit. Being on my own has enabled me to learn a lot about myself and my future dreams; I had never taken the time, nor had the ability to grow under my parents’ constant supervision. My relationship with my family has changed drastically for the better, and I consider them as one of the happiest assets in my life. I continue to surround myself with friends down in San Diego, who I also consider part of my family. These people in my life have helped me through the hardest times, and also have been there to share the greatest times. I will always cherish the happiness my family and friends bring me.

I believe everyone should reach for happiness in their life. Happiness is something that does not necessarily need to be taught; being raised in a happy healthy environment can only make you a better person. Happiness is our ordinary state of being, and it needs to be maintained and not lost. As long as you maintain a good healthy diet, match and achieve your ambition, and keep your loved ones close, I believe you will “live happily ever after”.

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This week’s essay

Growing up in the former Yugoslavia, lawyer Djenita Pasic enjoyed the peace of her religiously diverse country. But after the fall of communism and the outbreak of the Bosnian War, Pasic was forced to reevaluate her ideas about religion and tolerance. Click here to read her essay.